Soy Isoflavones, Benefits of Beans, and Mediterranean Foods for Vegans

The title for this post has a lot of stuff packed into it, but I wanted to share some articles I’ve been writing elsewhere about plant foods and health.

Mostly, I’ve got beans on the brain these days. I gave a presentation on beans and health at last year’s Sixth International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition and am currently writing an article based on that talk that will hopefully be published next year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. I’m on my third version of the article based on helpful (and sometimes demoralizing) comments from the peer reviewers. But if all else fails and my paper is rejected, I will at least have learned a lot about beans.

And I’m a believer when it comes to beans. They have a remarkable nutrition and health profile and I feel very sorry for Paleo dieters and others who miss out on their benefits. I wrote about some of those benefits for the Eat Drink Better website a few weeks ago.

And while you are over there, please also check out my article on sofrito which talks about scientific interest in this very old, and traditionally vegan Mediterranean food.

I also wrote recently about soy isoflavones for the Vegan For Her website which provides a short explanation of why isoflavones—the phytoestrogens in soybeans and many soyfoods—are not the same as estrogen. It’s a confusing issue that underscores so much of the misunderstanding about soy and health. The chart above is a prettier version of the one in that article, and it highlights some of the main differences between isoflavones and estrogen.

Coming soon will be some articles for my over-50 readers on the almost-live Never Too Late to Go Vegan website, so please stay tuned for that.

One Response to Soy Isoflavones, Benefits of Beans, and Mediterranean Foods for Vegans

I can’t wait to learn more from you about the power of beans! My 10-month-old just decided this week that he loves beans, and I am thrilled! We shared a tofu burrito bowl, and he demolished the pinto beans. I don’t think I got to eat a single one.